Witchcraft is not Luo`s personal Agenda!!

The recent announcement by the Zambian Minister of Higher Education, Professor Nkandu Luo that Zambian Universities should begin thinking of conducting research within the areas of witchcraft and wizardry should not be taken lightly or as a joke, let alone be something that she should get insulted for. The Zambian public need to understand that these are not personal thoughts from the Minister, but simply delving into an agenda that is already being championed collectively far and beyond the Zambian borders. You might like to know that, in a similar manner, her counterpart, the Minister of Higher Education in South Africa equally announced that their country is on the verge of introducing degree programmes within Witchcraft and Wizardry in their Universities countrywide. So, the question is, why this coincidence and why now? Africa has in some ways awakened from the colonial indoctrination and wants to chart its own destiny by consciously decolonising the African minds. However, this can only be achieved by having knowledge that is produced by Africans and able to accommodate thought from the African viewpoint of understanding physical and social phenomenon operating in its` midst. Science whether social or natural as we know it today, is a creation of Western modernity and has absolutely no room for progressive African ideas. Thus, this timely battle to include pure African Sciences in the formal knowledge systems of the global society.

In Zambia, the announcement has attracted a number of negative reactions from all corners of society and different walks of life. Social media has naturally led the battle against Luo`s way of thinking, with some people even going as far as suggesting that she relinquishes her ministerial position because she has sold Zambia to the underworld, viz a viz the Devil. However, I want to challenge the Zambian public that research on witchcraft and wizardry is needed now more than ever before. Firstly, witchcraft and wizardry has never been officially proved if it really exists among us, it could just be another myth. Thus, research into this school of thought is needed in order for society to know if it genuinely occurs in real time and indeed in our physical space. Secondly, if it does exist, what lessons can we learn from it? Can it completely be against development in our physical society, what if it has pockets of positivity and progressive aspects within it? Could we then change our approach towards it? These questions are so difficult to answer for as long as this is practised (if at all it is practised) in secrecy and outside common discourse. Against this background, there is a serious need to explore it academically so that it can be explained in the mainstream public discourse and conventional educational processes. Although the Zambian society is so jittery about the proposed research, it could simply mean a study of a natural order of morality in which the existence of witchcraft and wizardry with its actions and effects are defined and/or substantiated. This is because, seemingly at the moment, this phenomenon is largely presupposed than substantiated, simply put, a myth that still has matters of detail to discuss openly.

What society needs to understand is that the wider global society is changing as there are now more questions than answers. What if the science behind witchcraft and wizardry has just been suppressed and demonised by the Western discourse in order to protect its interests in Africa. Do you realise that even a cell phone is technically witchcraft and wizardry? How does a voice get transmitted into thin air across continents cordlessly? Do you know that even the latest sex doll is witchcraft and wizardry? How does a lifeless doll perform sexual responsibilities just like a human being? We need to ask ourselves these important questions. Otherwise, the difference between African witchcraft and Western witchcraft is that the experts behind Western witchcraft have been given an opportunity to explain what really goes on in a cell phone or the sex doll, thus we are comfortable with these gadgets through Western marketing and promotion. On the other hand, the experts behind African witchcraft have not been given the opportunity to explain what really goes on in their business. This is because theirs have seemingly been demonised and negatively branded without really understanding their side of the story. Thus, it is all wrapped in secrecy as its` possibility of being a genuine occurrence in the physical world remains in the doldrums of public sense.

Of course, the biggest criticism (could be a myth) about African witchcraft and wizardry is that it is fuelled by human blood and body parts, this could be true, and could be false as well. Therefore, that is the reason for a consideration to allow its` manifestation in the mainstream education discourse so that people can prove whether this is what really goes on. Consequently, if it really does use human blood and body parts, can the experts through research find alternatives that do not claim people’s lives then? The cell phone within the Western witchcraft discourse equally had blood on its hands because of the lives that have been lost in the Congo as a result of mining Coltan, the mineral that is vital to its` production, thankfully, alternatives were found through research, and the killings in the Congo related to the mineral have greatly been minimised. Thus, the biggest problem we have in Africa, Zambia in particular is that we fear the unknown, we are too afraid to explore certain realities of our own society, even when we see these as problems that need aggressive attention for solutions.

If witchcraft and wizardry exists in our society, then we must not wait for the West to come and find out about its` truth and legitimacy, we need to do it ourselves and find out its implications on our society, positive or negative. For example, if what we hear is true, that in Mununga District of Luapula Province one can buy lightning and thunder at the market, then Zesco could be the biggest beneficiary, because lightning produces masses of megawatts and the now traditional and wretched load shedding will be a thing of the past. In addition, we have also heard that in Kalabo District of Western Province, it is possible to put a head of 37 cattle on a handkerchief, put it in the pocket, and jump on a public bus to Lusaka for sale. If that is also true, then transport costs for livestock could be drastically cut down and have a directly positive impact on the country’s economy. I believe that this unmapped part of science has to be allowed room for unmasking, and if found to be too negative, then be completely erased from society like Europe did about 500 years ago. If it is only partially positive, then alternatives to the gaps should equally be found and a way forward charted. Bravo Nkandu Luo, I salute your courage to add your voice to this controversy at a time when people with such divergent views are being labelled as Satanists.

By Kabanda Mwansa

The author is a Zambian social commentator and a PhD research fellow at Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences.

Rotten thinking by the author. The creator, the one who established the universe, said at Deuteronomy 18:10 – 12: Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, 11 or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. 12 Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord; because of these same detestable practices the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you. NIV
Now you have in a so-called Christian nation some people calling for Satanic sciences (witchcraft) to be taught in universities!

Tell me how he got from witchcraft to sex dolls in his harangue.and this man has a phd amazing.
Let me send a 100 handkerchiefs, and buy some thunder to help zesco.
A phd should have credibilty ,I can see what you are proposing but i believe that it is ill conceived and a way for a pf supporter to deflect the commentary away fro the learned education minister.

How can someone who has been to school and been educated on how knowledge is generated come up with a thesis like that?

The knowledge that western science has produced is put to the test every time and you come up with such drivel? You are wearing clothes that were produced using western knowledge and reading and typing on computer or phone produced using the same knowledge and still come up trash like suggesting we waste our brainpower on such really?

Africa will continue to be a sh1thole place if you think this is the way to go.

This guy needs to be reminded that the so called witchcraft was practiced by Africans from time immemorial. But where did it get them? Nowhere. Its magic powers are mostly used to cause harm to others. What is so progressive about that? They were still living in caves despite having witchcraft knowledge in abundance. Also note that witchcraft was and is still practiced in the western world today but people there realized quickly that it was not going to benefit their society. Even in the western world, witchcraft has not offered the white man anything tangible. I hear witchcraft is still very popular in Haiti, a country with an African diaspora population but we all know where Haiti is in terms of development. Lets stop this nonsense and invest our energies and resources in the right…

This is an article proposing an academic approach which a view that witchcraft may or not exist .
The scope of commentary is most too short to give credible replies, suffice to say witchcraft does exist particularly to influential inflict harm.That said many accounts are fanciful and false,but credible accounts can be found and proven.
In the same vein many Satanism accounts are false and would crack under intense investigation, but there are credible accounts. However to be used for good is imaginary, people do use for hunting, fishing and business but usually at a cost of human life by some accounts or bondage to evil practices, therefore practical benefits are imaginary, they will never be found.

According to folklore, witchcraft as a ‘craft’ is passed on through oral traditions. There are no books or journals to refer to. How do you teach a degree without reference materials? You will hire elders from Mununga and Sesheke to come to UNZA to teach witchcraft? Spare the cash and invest in molecular biology! Sh^thole country!

Thats dull, who told him that science is a western thing…. have u had of the african empire that did proper science? Such as the Egyptian empire….. The scientific method is somthin that is embeded in a rational being…. Thats why all great civilizations no matter where they were located had great scientists studying science

Research is needed on this because we dont know whether it exists or not ,if it does whats the magic behind if it doesn’t how did the suspection of it came about.This is an academic discussion not for political cadres

The PHD man is not saying this is good or bad but just provoking your mind for meaningful contributions to the subject. When given a motion in a debate subject you contribute according to what you have researched whether for or against. Yes this is one matter that most of us blacks want to understand better. We head from here and there of our own Mu..shala that he would go into and out of state house without the guards knowing and chat with the then President. How could that happen?

The argument in this article leaves much to be desired – the issue is not to establish if witchcraft exists or not. Prof. Luo is clueless as a PF cadre – this is consistent with her line of thinking or lack thereof on serious issues. Investing in the dark arts is not the key to Zambia’s development.

Tell the professor that this is not to do with Norwegian. This is Zambia and we have our own morals. Go check the definition of witchcraft and tell what science is in it. Tell the professor to go back to school because he did not learn anything.
Let’s spend time to develop the country and not deviating us in unproductive thesis…

Let’s eradicate poverty etc and not such irretrogration. Our money is not for investment in sangomas because we have better use with it.

How do you want to do a research on the devil in your human thinking. Unless you want to get initiated and be one of them.in case you don’t know wiches and wizards are agent of the devil in human form. Stop this stupidy discussion and support for witchcraft.

Mr kabanda mwansa and your friend nkandu, you don’t know what is in witchcraft and never say you were not told. Witchxraft is evil and is the causer of the suffering of most families today. I thought being educated should distance you far from witchcraft and bring you near to God. Witchcraft is very evil and has got roots running from generations to another. Are both of you already witches or what ?Let us know.

Kabanda, I salute you for your courage and professor Nkandu. This is how intellectuals think. Just one correction in your article, witchcraft is not African and Science is not western. Even just cutting a tree is a scientific principle. Science is a universal observation of cause and effect.
However, in Zambia very few people are open to reasoning. It can’t work here. Just read the responses and you will be able to reduce the knowledge levels.
Let the universities in south Africa discover something from it because the environment is open for discoveries. Here even physics once taken to a higher level will be disputed.

Africans and Indians believe that witchcraft exists. There are still a lot of things that science cannot explain. Africa should start exploiting its advantage. That is start practicing witchcraft at commercial level and make big money out of it.
Let us not aim for nuclear weapons but witchcraft arms that will incapacitate non believers and take Africa into what its supposed to be. A beautiful rich continent.